Loss Without, Fullness Within

Time seems to stand still at Mirror Moon Lake.

Apart from the lake water receding considerably, everything around the lake remains almost unchanged from back then.

"You... are you really... Xiaoqiu?" The village head's youngest son was still working as a peddler, going from street to street every day. He had become a bit darker and older.

But as soon as she spoke, Hu Yueqiu recognized her.

It was simply because he was the only one in the village who ever called himself Xiaoqiu, instead of using his humble name.

"It's me." Hu Yueqiu nodded slightly and asked softly, "Are you married yet?!"

"Hmm." The village head's youngest son nodded. Although he had harbored some feelings for Hu Yueqiu back then, and even persuaded his parents to propose marriage.

Unfortunately, they were not meant to be together in the end, and not wanting to dwell on it, she changed the subject, saying, "Let me show you the way. Uncle Hu and Aunt Hu have built a new house."

Hu Yueqiu did not refuse and followed behind, listening to the village head's youngest son recount the changes in their hometown.

Actually, not much has changed.

The only thing worth mentioning is the Hu Household's brief period of prosperity.

Back then, Hu Yueqiu killed someone with his sword and disappeared into the distance, which truly terrified many people.

Some, fearing Hu Yueqiu's strength or having received favors in return, went to the Hu Household to cultivate relationships.

However, after hearing about how the Hu Household family had mistreated Hu Yueqiu and how Hu Yueqiu had never returned, they gradually lost contact with each other.

Of course, Hu Yueqiu's legacy is more than enough to ensure the Hu Household's livelihood.

"My dear daughter..." Her mother, who had already received the news, walked over with a smile and affectionately reached out to take Hu Yueqiu's hand.

Hearing this unfamiliar address, Hu Yueqiu remained silent and looked down at her mother's hand.

The mother's hand recoiled as if stabbed by a sword, and she looked embarrassed.

The father, following behind, looked timid and hesitant, like an honest, submissive fisherman.

"My dear, come quick!" The mother hurriedly waved and called to an unfamiliar boy, "Say hello to your sister!"

The boy, his face filled with fear, said, "Sister."

It was truly a cruel twist of fate that caused the parents to hate their daughter like enemies, while the daughter feared her parents like venomous snakes.

A single glance from her mother could leave Hu Yueqiu without food and homeless.

Whenever her father was unhappy, he would always find something wrong with Hu Yueqiu and beat her to vent his anger.

As for his younger brother, he was spoiled rotten and often teased and framed Hu Yueqiu, finding pleasure in watching her get beaten and run away from home.

This family of three was the people Hu Yueqiu hated, feared, and envied the most.

Hu Yueqiu gripped her sword tightly, but remained silent.

The three of them immediately fell silent, trembling with fear.

"That's enough."

Hu Yueqiu felt only peace in her heart and turned to walk towards Mirror Moon Lake.

The villagers often say that Hu Yueqiu, as an infant, survived by jumping into the lake, which must have been due to the protection of Mirror Moon Lake.

Hu Yueqiu thought there was some truth to it.

Whether it was sleeping on the streets and in the reeds, searching for food when hungry, or even finding the ancient sword and changing his fate, it all happened by Mirror Moon Lake.

I wonder if Mirror Moon Lake will protect me again this time.

News of Hu Yueqiu's return had already spread.

Martial arts masters in surrounding counties and towns began to restrain their clansmen and disciples.

The once rampant gangs of fishermen have also disappeared.

Hu Yueqiu was so ruthless back then that no one dared to test his sword again.

The Manifestation "Autumn of Fu Water" that Hu Yueqiu possessed has been completely lost.

Even being on the Mirror Moon Lake would be of no use.

Hu Yueqiu had anticipated this, so she remained calm and continued practicing her swordsmanship every day. In her spare time, she would read the Daoist treatise "[Fu Water]" handwritten by Duanmu Ren.

Hu Yueqiu had never understood these profound philosophical theories before.

Now, having received the dying teachings of his private tutor, he has gained considerable wisdom and can vaguely understand things.

"Brother Duanmu said that Manifestation don't appear out of thin air; they must have a source. Nor can they disappear into thin air; they must have a destination."

"Fu means treasury and treasury."

"A lake can be formed by accumulating [Kan Water] and receiving [Clear Water]."

"The essence of the Fu Water lies in its quantity, its breadth, and its depth."

"However, the vastness and immensity are merely imagery of [Confluence Water]."

"The dragon clan is powerful and has ruled over the [Confluence Water] area for generations, so naturally no one dares to encroach upon it."

Therefore, the extent of the Fu Water must be limited.

"Throughout history, the True Lord of [Fu Water] have all been able to seek [the depths]."

"[The Fu Water] overflows and becomes a lake; its power lies in its unfathomable depth."

"If the [Fu Water] is too deep, with most of it hidden underground, it encroaches on the imagery of the [Female Water]'s Water Virtue [hidden position]."

"In ancient times, the officials of the [Fu Water] and [Female Water] regions often had disputes."

"Therefore, Senior Brother Duanmu speculates that the [Fu Water] Manifestation is constantly deficient, one possibility being that it is being concealed by the [Female Water]."

Hu Yueqiu could roughly understand this discourse.

However, the theory of [Female Water] is profound and beyond Hu Yueqiu's knowledge.

Duanmu Ren also wrote that due to the short time available, he had not yet had time to read the [Female Water] Daoist treatise.

If Hu Yueqiu's Manifestation is diminished, and it truly involves the encroachment of imagery between the two major traditions of [Fu Water] and [Female Water], then it is almost an unsolvable problem.

Duanmu Ren also mentioned a second possibility, which is [Greater Yin].

I just didn't have time to read the [Female Water] Daoist scripture, and I didn't have time to read the [Greater Yin] scripture at all.

Regarding [Greater Yin], only the sect leader has mentioned that [Greater Yin] and [Fu Water] are close.

There are also ancient images such as the Supreme Being of All Yin, the foremost in hiding in the world, and the best at avoiding calamity.

As for the Daoist scriptures, not a single one can be found.

However, it was easy for [Greater Yin] to conceal Hu Yueqiu's aura, and it would not involve the usurpation of the imagery and authority between different lineages; it would simply be a natural manifestation of [Greater Yin]'s Dao nature.

The deficiency of [Greater Yin] is actually hidden.

The deficiency of [Greater Yin] is actually a form of concealment.

This is easier than reclaiming the Manifestation from [Female Water].

However, Duanmu Ren didn't know what kind of karmic connection Hu Yueqiu or the Hu Household ancestors had with [Greater Yin], so he couldn't help them.

"Cause and effect...?"

After a long journey, autumn has arrived once again.

Hu Yueqiu stood by the lake, glanced at the moon in the sky, then at the moon's reflection in the water, and for a moment, she was transported back to that autumn night when she named herself as a child.

"But I clearly remember that the moon that year was completely different from the one tonight; it was brighter and bigger."

As Hu Yueqiu thought of this, the bright moon in her memory rose from her mind, illuminating the night when she named herself and truly lived as a person in every detail.

"The moon of today is not the moon of old, yet the moon of today once shone on the people of old..."

Hu Yueqiu didn't care about the ancients; she only used the autumn moon to recall her past.

In my memory, moons rose one after another.

Scenes from my life flashed before my eyes.

Those illusory moons revealed fragments of life, emanating from Hu Yueqiu; some flew into the moon in the sky, and some fell into the moon in the water.

"So the Manifestation really didn't disappear into thin air... it has become part of me."

"The Manifestation I have accumulated in this Grotto-Heaven is the moon in the sky."

"I cultivate the [Fu Water] lineage, and I need the moon reflected in the water."

The moon in the sky is high and far away, impossible to reach.

"I must become a lake, reflecting the moon in the sky, so that the moon may appear in the water."

"If there is external deficit and internal surplus, the spiritual accumulation will be generated by itself."

" On Supreme Mystery Mountain, the Waters Begin to Dry Up to recede from its fullness..."

" At the Rosy Clouds Resting Mountain, Heaven unleashed its murderous intent; [Heaven and Earth Grow Solemn]..."

"An old man ferrying across the river, his voice hoarse and muffled, is [the Thunder Withdraws Its Sound]..."

" In the Zhao Kingdom, a corpse was hung with its name inscribed; it was a [Hawks Sacrifice Birds]..."

"A small town with chaotic shops, a place to recuperate and hide, a [Insects Plaster Their Burrows]..."

"Ten Thousand Swords Manor, sensing danger and peril, is [the Cold Cicadas Sing]..."

"The village school, with a smile on its face, faded away, like [the Grasses and Trees Shed Their Leaves]..."

" By the Mirror Moon Lake, all the fierce beasts bow their heads; it is [Hibernating Creatures All Bow Down]..."

Hu Yueqiu traces the moon and recalls the Recollection of Antiquity, looking back on what once was.

The illusory moonlight and fragments of memory converge to form a vast lake in the heart.

The originally diminished and vanished Manifestation of the Nine Seasons reappeared from the fragments, falling onto the moon's reflection in the lake of the heart, elevating the Manifestation of Hu Yueqiu segment by segment.

In just a short while, Hu Yueqiu had regained the Manifestation the Eight Qi.

Hu Yueqiu was enveloped in moonlight, almost transforming into a third moon on the Mirror Moon Lake.

The Grand Mysterious Token at his waist began to tremble.

Just as Hu Yueqiu was about to reach out and take it, a wisp of [Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi] flew out and landed directly on Hu Yueqiu [Fu Water] Manifestation was almost perfect.

"It's [Mystic Marsh Submerged Thunder Qi]..." The [Autumn of Fu Water] Manifestation on Hu Yueqiu suddenly surged again, precisely to accumulate the final stage [Grain Then Ripens] for breakthrough and advancement.

The waters of Mirror Moon Lake churned and splashed loudly.

The once-dry lake shore has been transformed into a wetland.

Hu Yueqiu carefully contemplated the profound mysteries of Qi Ingestion inner energy, then swung her sword, instantly unleashing a muffled thunderclap from the distant sky, causing the lake to tremble. She softly chanted:

"Ten years of seeking immortality have been filled with hardships; a solitary journey of ten thousand miles has worn down my resolve."

"Hardships and sorrows need not be remembered; the path to immortality is blocked, and time is wasted."

"The night breeze stirs the moon over Mirror Lake; it once shone on immortals and gods, now it shines on me."

"The autumn air sinks into the Fu Water at the ninth month; from then on, one can hear thunder and sing with sword in hand."